JAPAN — "The Disciplined Art of Life"

I’ve been enamored by Japanese culture since I was a kid. There's a discipline and drive for perfection in everything they do. Whether it’s flower arranging or advanced robotics, the Japanese commit to doing it at the absolute highest levels. There’s also an appreciation and respect for nature that influences their craftsmanship and pride. Despite movies, photographs, and books about Japanese culture, it wasn’t until I trained at a relatively traditional martial arts school that I truly appreciated the focus, formality, and humility of the Japanese. 

HAJIMARI (Beginning)

I fantasized about visiting Japan for a very long time. I imagined wandering through the narrow streets of remote tile-roofed villages and seeing groups of giggling young women wearing kimonos. I would walk through tunnels of fiery red torii to sounds of clunking bamboo trees while visiting postcard-perfect Shinto temples perched along mountainsides. Sake and sushi would nourish my tired body after the day’s adventure, and I would retire upon a simple futon mattress laid across the tatami mat floor of a Ryokan. After years of dreaming, my travel partners and I made it a reality during one of the most special times of the year: the cherry blossom festival. And like the famed blossoms, we arrived and were gone within a two-week period.

Fushimi Inari Taisha

SHIZENNOBI (Natural Beauty)

Kaizen represents continual development in Japanese culture and Mount Fuji could be considered a natural manifestation. Fujisan’s symmetrical cone reaches towards the heavens from an otherwise flat landscape and its white-capped, treeless terrain represents man’s naked pursuit of enlightenment and betterment. From the time spent by a sushi chef perfecting the art of preparing rice before they ever slice a tuna, to the uncompromisingly vibrant dyes and fabrics used to illustrate nature upon a kimono, an incredible amount of effort and practice is the price of admission for any artisan. 

Man is but an apprentice under the tutelage of nature. The Japanese seek harmony and balance with the elements and animals with whom we share the Earth. Zen rock gardens parallel the purity of open space with raked patterns representing the flow of water around boulders symbolizing mountains and islands. Temples and cafes honor specific animals, build connectedness, and remind us of how we are all guests on this planet. Japanese words like “komorebi,” referring to how sunlight dances through the leaves of a tree, are like single-word love letters expressing appreciation of nature. 

Chureito Pagoda and Mt. Fuji

DAITOSHI (Big City)

An inaugural venture into Tokyo can be intimidating. It is not one, but several cities integrated into one of the largest and most modern metropolises on the planet. From the neon-lit Shinjuku and shopping malls of Shibuya, to the business center of Chuo and parks and temples of Taito, Tokyo can overwhelm even the most logistically and mentally prepared visitor. At over 38 million residents, Tokyo is almost twice the size of New York City’s metropolitan area.  

Despite the crowds and frenetic pace of the city, there is a formality and discipline that holds it all together. White-gloved train operators faithfully pantomime safety checks prior to departure while unfailingly staying on schedule. Passengers, pedestrians, and restaurant guests naturally queue without impatience and would never dare to push or cut in line. Regardless of occupation, the Japanese engage in their activities with a passion, focus, and pursuit of perfection. And despite achievements and excellence, they remain respectful and humble. Culturally, arrogance and self-importance is unacceptable and shameful.  

Shinjuku, Tokyo

SAKURA NO HANA (Cherry Blossom)

“Hanami” is the annual Japanese tradition of celebrating the spring time and bloom of the cherry blossoms.  Families and friends flock to parks to picnic and socialize beneath the bursting pink branches of the cherry blossom trees. The window for appreciating the blossoms mirrors the beauty, fragility, and short bloom of our own lives. On an annual basis, the Japanese are reminded of the importance of seizing their opportunities and pursuing excellence in everything they do. Delusions of self-importance fall away once we accept we all share the same fate following our brief bloom. We can all be challenged, frustrated, and numb to the day-to-day routine and conformity. However, regardless of our professions, circumstances, or locations, we must each seize our special opportunity to pursue excellence and bloom beautifully to the world.

-Don

Cherry blossoms and Himeji Castle